Glyphs and Gallows: The Rock Art of Clo-oose and the Sinking of the John Bright
Heritage House
Description
Tragedy and Retribution: Was Justice Done?
In 1996, Peter Johnson travelled B.C.'s West Coast Trail on a mission of discovery. Inspired by his longtime interest in aboriginal rock art, Peter set out to find the intriguing glyphs of Clo-oose.
Based on extensive archival research, 90-year-old correspondence, and a 1926 newspaper article, Peter set out to solve the mystery of events said to have occurred after the grounding of the John Bright in 1869. Why were two Nootka Indians hanged directly in front of their village at Hesquiat? And how did a distinctly related series of stone carvings come to a cove many miles to the southeast, along one of the world's great hiking trails beside the Graveyard of the Pacific?
This unique multi-layered story exposes colonial injustice in the nineteenth century, while capturing the personal passion the author feels for aboriginal art. Any coastal hiker, archaeologist, student of colonial and B.C. history, rock art lover, or simply a person enticed by an intriguing read will applaud this book.
Author: Peter Johnson
